PathWeb update
By: Scott Smith, Assistant Projects Engineer
The 2023 season of pavement condition testing and corresponding video logs are complete. As in the past, issues occur that add frustration to the collection and evaluation process and this year was of no exception.
The biggest issue this year was with the new equipment software. Presently the software is processing the collected data incorrectly, which caused the MnDOT Materials & Road Research (MMRR) team to rely on older equipment and double up on some tasks. The MMRR team is working with the vendor and getting close to resolving these issues but are not there yet. Specifically, nine counties were collected with the new equipment, but until the software problems are resolved, the MMRR will not be able to deliver these affected counties their pavement condition results.
The affected counties are: Aitkin, Anoka, Benton, Chippewa, Fillmore, Jackson, Koochiching, Lac Qui Parle, and Pipestone. MMRR did recollect Fillmore County with an older van so when the new software issues are resolved they will have the ability to compare and validate that the issues have been addressed. MMRR does expect to work through the software issues with the vendor in the next few months.
Setting aside the software issue, this year had significant advancements in verifying and correcting county road data within the county GIS database. A goal in the past few years has been to transition all roadways from the older less accurate Transportation Information System (TIS) to the more accurate Linear Referencing System (LRS), but as with most transitions, periodic adjustments are needed, which, at this time most have been addressed, making the transition mostly complete.
With the transitioned data county results can now be displayed in GIS applications. If interested MnDOT can now provide the data in GIS forms to the local agencies. A big thank you needs to go out to the county agencies for reviewing and updating their road data. Also, a huge thank you to the MMRR staff that spent many hours preparing, organizing, and updating the county data before and after county review.
As was done last winter, later in February or March 2024, at least one online training session will be presented. The intended audience is for all county staff that use the pavement condition data and PathWeb video logs. Included in the training will be a demo of PathWeb, an explanation of the equipment and measurements, and possibly an example of how the data that is sent to the counties is used. Hopefully the interest in pavement condition data and PathWeb video log training will continue so that a better understand of the benefit that this information offers to the overall road system. Please stay tuned for future announcements about the upcoming training session(s).
For those that are new, PathWeb is a web-based application for viewing current road rating data and video logs. Counties are driven every two years and road data updated when complete. PathWeb is accessible right now for all county engineers and their staff. Please request access by using the form on the PathWeb webpage. Below are lists of the counties and when they were or are planned to be driven. Also below are a few screenshots of what is visible on PathWeb.
2023 counties that were driven for pavement condition
Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Jackson, Kanabec ,Koochiching, Lac qui Parle, Mahnomen, Marshall, McLeod, Meeker, Mower, Nobles, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pipestone, Ramsey, Redwood, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, Winona, and Wright.
2024 counties planned to be driven for pavement condition
Beltrami, Carlton, Carver, Cook, Freeborn, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Itasca, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Murray, Nicollet, Olmsted, Pine, Polk, Pope, Red Lake, Renville, Roseau, Saint Louis, Sibley, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Watonwan, Wilkin, and Yellow Medicine.
Roadway image video logs
GIS mapping
For more information feel free to reach out to Loren Hill at loren.hill@state.mn.us, Bill Meinholz at william.meinholz@state.mn.us, or Scott Smith at scott.a.smith@state.mn.us, or visit the State Aid PathWeb webpage for more details or to request access to PathWeb.